


Monster

by harbularybatteries



Series: The Misadventures of Manon Hawke [3]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Blood and Gore, Dalish Elves, Dragon Age II Spoilers, F/F, Manon isnt actually dead i promise, Not Beta Read, Not Really Character Death, Original Character(s), Qunari, The Arishok battle, This is part of her plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 21:12:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7817404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harbularybatteries/pseuds/harbularybatteries
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I see a man who's ready to start a war on principal." She quipped, Sapphire colored eyes glinting underneath the glow of the many torches.<br/>"And what would the Qunari be without principal? Like you I suspect." The air was thick and filled with tension as the male began to turn from her. "Prove yourself, Basra. Or kneel with your brethren."<br/>-<br/>As a side note I should mention that this has no hawke/anders and that it's only tagged because Isara is Anders' partner</p>
            </blockquote>





	Monster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Casserole/Cassette](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Casserole%2FCassette).



> Hello hello I'm back again with a super long Manon one shot.  
> This is not beta read, as usual, and in this piece I'm actually introducing some of Manon's background and her sister Isara! (Who is Cas's Hawke so she is not my character and I'm not taking credit for her ♡)  
> -  
> The title of this is from the song Monster by Meg Myers.

Her brother, dead. Her mother and father, dead. The Viscount, dead. Hundreds of others? All dead. And she couldn't save them. She didn't save a single one of them.  
As the Arishok finished up his speech, the words "You are blind. I will make you see!" Leaving his lips she walked in. Manon Hawke and her merry band of misfits strode through the door. "But we have guests." Her sister Isara stood by her side along with Fenris, Varric, and Merrill.  
"Shanedan, Hawke. I expected you." The Qunari warrior spoke, taking the steps two at a time. "But for all your might, you are no different from these Bas. You do not see." Manon's jaw was clenched, and her fists curled as he places the staff of his war axe over his shoulder, lift the mighty weapon like it was merely a bag of herbs.  
"I see a man who's ready to start a war on principal." She quipped, Sapphire colored eyes glinting underneath the glow of the many torches.  
"And what would the Qunari be without principal? Like you I suspect." The air was thick and filled with tension as the male began to turn from her. "Prove yourself, Basra. Or kneel with your brethren." Qunari soldiers stepped down, welding swords and axes, blades ready to make deadly strikes at Hawke and her friends. But she wouldn't let them, not without a fight at least. And so she unsheathed her daggers, and kicked down a smoke bomb as she took out the first of their foes. Manon felt the magic in the air, she could taste the mixture of blood and iron that her sister and lover's spells let out. Three were taken down by the time she needed to down a flask and toss a few to both Varric and Fenris. The last remaining warrior was behind Isara, the small mage backed into a corner as she tried to summon enough magic to protect herself. And so she ran, ran to save her sister the last of her family and her longest known friend. Three bolts pierced the Qunari's back and shoulders before she got there, blood magic and a blur of lyrium followed suit earning the warrior's attention and she jumped, daggers raised the same way she had them when she killed the Ogre. The same way she should have saved Carver, should have saved her mother, and should have saved so many others. But this time she would die, and she knew it she just hoped her friends would be able to make it out alive, away from Kirkwall and away from the invasion. Suddenly she was blown back, the wind knocked out of her as Isara used the last of her reserves to save her from the sword that would have taken her head. And he was dead. The Warrior was dead, his lifeless body hit the ground as the bystanders gasped, and cheered. They had done it after all, they had saved the city, right?  
Wrong.  
The Arishok still wanted his Tome, and Isabela had it, the sneaky pirate swaggering in with the book under her arm. "I belive I can answer that." She said, Rivainian accent filling the room as she stepped over a fallen soldier, and gave the Qunari his Tome. "I'm sure you'll find it...mostly undamaged."  
Manon's head was still spinning, and she turned towards Isabela, a small smile on her face as her brain caught up with the situation. "Took me a while to get back what with all the fighting everywhere; you know how it is."  
"Heroic acts of sacrifice! What will people say?" The pale girl asked. Her tone dripping with sarcasm. A quick nudge from Isara told her now was not the time for jokes.  
"This is your damned influence, Isara," the pirate said, a smile on her face despite the sigh she let out."I was half way to Ostwick before I knew I had to turn 'round. It's pathetic."  
The Arishok quickly broke up their friendly reunion, booming voice snapping their attentions back towards him. "The relic is reclaimed. I am now free to return to Par Vollen-- with the thief."  
"What!?" Isabela's eyes widened, and a small gasp was heard from behind Manon as small fingers latched onto her shoulder.  
"You can't let them take Isabela! I...I know she hasn't been the best or most honest but please, Birdie!" Merrill pleaded, voice shaking with both fear and her lack of energy.  
"She stole the Tome of Koslun. She must return with us."  
Manon shook her head, and raised her head. Her voice was strong and firm, and her eyes were focused. "You have your relic. She stays with us. You will not take my friend."  
"Everything will be okay, let's not worry, I'm sure there's a way to fix all of this!" Isara tried, her eyes almost as pleading as her voice.  
"Then you leave me no choice," the much taller male spoke, raising his axe. "I challange you, Hawke. You and  will battle to the death, with her as the prize."  
"No! If you're going to duel anyone, duel me!" The tan girl spoke, the fire within her never once dimished and she was always ready to duel, even now when it meant her life. Perhaps she didn't trust Manon, perhaps she knew that the smaller Rogue wouldn't be able to take the Warrior. But it didn't matter, because not only would Manon not let her duel, the Arishok wouldn't either. Something about the Rivainian girl not being worthy enough, not earing the right to battle him; Manon didn't know, didn't really listen. All the brunette could hear was the pounding of her heart, the slight ringing in her ears and each breath she took.  
"I accept your challange." And so it began. The few remaining Arishok standing back, and the cries of her party. Manon thought she heard both Merrill and Isara scream, both mages being held back by Varric and Fenris. Isabela nodded and tried to console her friends, the small group was huddled at the top of the stairs, waiting and watching as both Manon and the Arishok sized the other up. Weapons drawn and a vial of smoke in her teeth she waited for her opponent to make his first move.  
He was a warrior, and he wanted his reward- he would get impatient, would charge for her and that would be his first mistake. And as the both of them circled once more around the marble floor, that's exactly what he did. Manon rolled out of the way, spitting the glass vial out onto the floor as she did. The small crunch of it breaking beneath his footsteps caused her to smile, and when the smoke began to fill the room Manon made her move.  
Her daggers dug in to whatever they could, piercing and slicing before she backed off, hiding behind one of the pillars. She kept her breathing light and quiet, listening to the Qunari as he stormed around the floor, bashing into pillars and letting out war cries loud enough to make her head rattle.  
He found her in her daze, his battle axe raised and ready to strike. Manon dodged, but not quick enough as she felt warmth pool down her leg the drip, drip, drip splattering on the cool tiles below her as he charged again. This time she slid half-way across the room until she hit another pillar. A crack sounded and a sharp pain hit her chest. A broken rib, and perhaps a pierced lung.  
"Is...that all you got?" Manon weezed, spitting out blood, standing again to face the bloodied warrior. Another smoke bomb with the floor and Mann took a chug of one of her sister's healing potions. It wouldn't fix her rib or her lung, but it would take the numb the pain, if not heal the cuts and bruises she'd acquired.  
It wasn't all he had, and when he burst through the smoke, eyes clouded over with rage, Manon knew she was dead. That she could only take a few more hits before the Qunari would tear her to shreds.  
The rogue put up a fight, though. Daggers slicing into his chest and face, and armored feet and fists landing perfect blows only moments before she felt the blade slide between her ribs. Her world was fading, and the last thing she heard were the cries from her friends. Manon slid her dagger into the Arishok's neck in a last effort to save her friend's, to save the city of Kirkwall.  
-  
"Would you stop your laughing? It's giving me a headache!" Manon said as Isara held back giggles.  
"It's just that you look so...silly with that hair! Mother's going to kill you when she finds out you went and chopped it all off you know."  
Manon rolled her eyes, and played with the short choppy layers of hair. "Yes, well..." the older girl began. "She'll just have to get over it. I'll save you one day, and you'll regret making fun of me so often just you wait." The older Hawke huffed.  
-  
"Merrill, love?" Manon's voice was soft and quiet, a voice she saved for only Merrill. "Why are you crying, Pup?"  
A sniffle from Merrill confirmed Manon's thoughts. "It's just, oh..." she sighed, taking in a deep breath. "I...I had this dream, you see. And you were in it and-"  
"Oohh, was it one of /those/ dreams? I'd always though I was good in bed, and here you are crying...am I really that bad?"  
"Oh goodness no! It's not that, you're lovely in bed, truly you are!" The Dalish girl's ears perked up, pointed tips tinged pink. "You died in my dream, Hawke...you died fighting for us... You can't die! Th-that would be terrible!"  
The rogue's lips curled into a small smile. "We all die someday, Merrill. We just have to choose the best time. I'm not one for dying old and cold in bed. I'd be happy to go out like that if it meant saving my friend's lives."  
-  
As the blood pooled from her gut Manon was filled with a sudden sense of regret, a sudden sadness. Now she had wished she hadn't died here, not now. Wished she hadn't needed to save Isara or died in front of her or Merrill. She wished Varric and Fenris weren't rushing down the stairs only to begin shaking and shoving a body that was already too far gone. And she wished Isabela hadn't begun fighting the last Qunari, blades seeping with poisons and glowing with lethal runes.  
Fenris ran through the chaotic streets of Kirkwall, Manon's body cradled in his arms as Merrill, Isara and Varric held off enemies from a distance. Isabela ran ahead to warn Anders, and to clear out his clinic.  
Manon should have been dead by now, and maybe the only thing keeping her alive was the minor healing magic Anders had tough both Merrill and Isara a few days prior.  
But it didn't matter because once Fenris laid Hawke's body on that table she smiled, one last wicked grin before she slipped away into darkness.


End file.
